Municipality and University of Bergamo (Italy) Conference on “The Strategic Role of International Coalitions to Achieve Food Security”

Municipality and University of Bergamo (Italy)

Conference on “The Strategic Role of International Coalitions to Achieve Food Security”

Statement

By

Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

25 October 2022

Dear Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues, and my fellow colleagues from the University,

 

1. I would like to start by thanking the Municipality and the University of Bergamo, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy for organizing this important and timely event,

2. And to the Government and people of Italy for all the support as our Host Country.

3. I listened carefully to the speech by Ambassador Archi, as he mentioned many of the important events we have worked on together.

4. During the past three years, the Italian Government together with FAO have had several important initiatives and international meetings.

5. I could mention many, including: the Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit at FAO headquarters in Rome, the Food Systems Summit in New York in September 2021, and the Food Coalition.

6. During the pandemic, FAO and all the UN offices and UN staff in Italy received the full and continued support of the Italian Government.

7. Furthermore, Italy has also provided support for important renovations at FAO headquarters.

8. Over the past years, a closer, more personal and harmonized relationship has been built between FAO Management and relevant Italian Government Ministers and Ministries, in particular I wish to mention the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi Di Maio, as well as local government in Rome,  Florence, Trento, Napoli, Siena and Milan, and now with Bergamo.

9. I got to know that Bergamo is the hometown of my dear colleague Maurizio Martina, so I feel much closer to you now.

10. You should be proud of him. He received an excellent education as a child, and this has helped him become an important leader in Italy, and now at FAO as one of my key Senior Managers.

Dear Colleagues,

11. FAO recognizes the critical role of cities and municipalities for the transformation of agrifood systems, as well as that of urban food systems at national and global levels.

12. The urban population is more than 50% of the world’s total, and 68% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities by 2050 – and this figure may be even higher.

13. Urban residents consume 70% of the total food produced on the planet.

14. Unhealthy diets in urban areas contribute to high levels of over- and under-nutrition, as well as malnutrition, including overweight and obesity, leading to an increase in non-communicable diet-related diseases.   

15. Fortunately, we are living in the Mediterranean Region, where the Mediterranean and Italian diet are healthy, with a good consumption and nutritional pattern, and with food prepared in a sustainable manner.

16. But at the same time, in the rest of the world we need to address food safety and high levels of food waste, which are serious problems across urban food systems, from the supply chain to even household consumption patterns.

17. For these reasons, transforming national and global agrifood systems requires a strong focus on urban and peri-urban systems,

18. And should also involve international shareholders in a multi-level governance system.

19. The newly established Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Food Systems Coalition, following the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021, is a fundamental platform to support cities and local governments in achieving food security. 

20. It provides an opportunity to join forces towards building an effective multilevel food governance, and promoting exchanges between cities.

21. Key partners of the coalition are cities and national governments and a large number of key stakeholders including the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, academic institutions, and UN-HABITAT, among many more.

22. In this regard, FAO is engaging to help accelerate progress through better-coordinated action.

23. In 2021, FAO in collaboration with the Government of Italy, launched the Food Coalition to support the implementation of the G20 Matera Declaration on Food Security.

24. FAO is also collaborating with Italy in the Mediterranean region to address the consequences of the current food crisis, in the framework of the G7, which includes a series of Ministerial Dialogues among Mediterranean Countries, including in the North Africa region and others.

25. FAO is also working with the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Areas to support the transition towards more sustainable agrifood systems in the Mediterranean - the SFS-MED Platform.

26. In addition, FAO is hosting the UN Food Systems Summit Coordination Hub on behalf of the UN system, to support implementation of national pathways in follow up to the UN Food Systems Summit.

27. FAO, as the lead UN agency for food and agriculture, has a key role to play in transforming global agrifood systems, together with key partners.

28. Through the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, we are now implementing key activities such as technical interventions to establish enabling and coherent policies; supporting investments along agrifood value chains; promoting research and development; encouraging science and innovation; and supporting rural-urban linkages, among others.

29. To support our Members in the transformation of global agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable,

30. To achieve our common goal of the four betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

31. To succeed with the urgency that is needed today, comprehensive engagement and cooperation with all shareholders is key.

32. FAO is therefore committed and will continue to build and strengthen joint efforts with all partners at all levels.  We are fully committed to working with local level governance as a key starting point for concrete action on the ground.

33. I wish to convey my appreciation to the organizers of this conference for being the champions of the agrifood systems transformation in Italy, across different sectors.

34. Thank you – Grazie mille!